McFadden backs Jewish employment hub amid concern over rising youth joblessness
Work and Pensions Secretary praises community-led Jewish charity as he warns against young people “graduating from education onto benefits”
The Work and Pensions Secretary, Pat McFadden, has praised a Jewish community employment charity during a visit to north London, highlighting its role in helping jobseekers and small business owners navigate an increasingly uncertain labour market.
McFadden visited Work Avenue on Tuesday afternoon following an invitation from the Jewish Leadership Council, touring the Wohl Enterprise Hub in Finchley and meeting employment clients, entrepreneurs and staff working across the charity’s job placement and business support programmes.
The visit came as the government raises concerns about a sustained rise in youth unemployment, with McFadden warning against young people leaving education without moving into work, training or apprenticeships.
“The last thing I want to see is people graduating from education onto benefits,” he told Jewish News. “They should be graduating from education onto training, work experience, an apprenticeship, a job – anything constructive.”
During the tour, McFadden met Thomas Frey, an employment client who recently returned to the UK after an extended period travelling abroad. Frey, who has previous corporate sales experience, is now working with Work Avenue advisers on CV development, skills translation and identifying suitable roles as he restarts his career following a serious injury sustained overseas.
He also spoke with Meir Moller, who is currently employed in the hospitality sector but is seeking clearer direction about his long-term career path. Staff explained how the charity supports clients not only into work, but in sustaining employment and planning next steps, particularly for those who feel under-utilised or unsure about future progression.
Upstairs, McFadden met business owners renting desk space at the hub, including planning consultant Jonathan Greenberg and AI specialist Craig Hartzel, whose company advises small and medium-sized enterprises on practical uses of artificial intelligence. Hartzel outlined how accessible digital tools are helping sole traders and micro businesses upskill, market themselves and remain competitive.
McFadden said the mix of employment support and enterprise reflected the different needs people bring through the door.
“We met some people upstairs who were looking for a job, and some people downstairs who were running their own business,” he said. “The combining of those two things is a really interesting example.”
Work Avenue’s chief executive Debbie Lebrett said the visit underlined the importance of employment in building long-term financial independence within the Jewish community, particularly at a time of economic pressure and rising insecurity. She highlighted the charity’s focus on practical skills, sustained employment and business resilience as central to supporting individuals and families beyond short-term job placement.
McFadden described the organisation as both enterprising and community-rooted, noting that part of its sustainability comes from workspace rental alongside charitable activity.
“It’s a community-based, faith-based organisation, and that’s a great credit to the founders and the people who’ve set it up,” he said. “It has an important role to play alongside what the state does through job centres and other services.”
The minister also outlined new government measures aimed at tackling youth and long-term unemployment, including the Youth Guarantee, which will offer training and work experience opportunities to more than 300,000 young people, as well as subsidised paid roles for those unemployed over the long term.
He added that apprenticeship funding is being rebalanced towards younger people, and that new locally devolved employment programmes will allow councils and mayors to tailor support to their own labour markets.
“Local leaders often know their labour market best,” he said, adding that Work Avenue’s close ties to employers mirrored the direction of government policy.
Reflecting on the visit, McFadden said: “I really enjoyed my visit. I think what the people are doing here is fantastic. I can’t praise it highly enough.”